BC has a reputation for outstanding freshwater sport fishing, perhaps best exemplified by its world-class angling opportunities for steelhead and other trout on streams. “ Quality Waters ” is a descriptive term used by fisheries managers and anglers to describe the sum of all Classified Waters (and some non classified waters) that provide the province’s premier stream angling opportunities. Since 1997, HCTF has received and allocated dedicated funding for a variety of Quality Waters projects across BC. We have just released a report summarizing those investments. The report provides a historical perspective of government licence pricing decisions, documents the revenue received and briefly describes project investments made by HCTF on Quality Waters. It also provides a unique resource to help inform new policies and procedures about the involvement of HCTF in the evolution of the broader provincial Quality Waters Strategy. You can view the report here .

Elk Translocation Program on Vancouver Island Aims to Restore Roosevelt Elk to Their Former Range BC’s magnificent wildlife has long formed part of our province’s identity. Take the provincial Coat of Arms: while other Western provinces have chosen to include the likes of lions and unicorns into their designs, a pair of iconic ungulates make up BC’s provincial emblem. On the right, a bighorn ram represents the wildlife of the mainland. On the left, a rather wild-looking Roosevelt elk symbolizes Vancouver Island. The Roosevelt is a fitting representative for the Island: it remains a stronghold for this species whose range was severely reduced following the arrival of the Europeans in the mid-19 th century. Though Roosevelts remain on BC’s list of species of concern, populations in some areas of the Island are thriving, to the point where conflicts are arising between humans and herds. On the Island’s east coast, near the village of Sayward, the Salmon River watershed is ideal habitat for elk. The moist, rich soils of the river’s floodplain produce optimal forage for Roosevelts, both in the form of native plant species and agricultural crops. This vegetational bounty has allowed elk numbers to increase to the point where...

Each year, the BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF) hosts an intensive week of workshops led by wetland restoration experts, providing hands-on training for participants interested in constructing wetlands in their communities. The workshops are held in a different region of the province each year, and 2015 was the Okanagan’s turn. As BCWF Wetlands Education Program Intern Kayla Akins reports, this year’s institute was jammed-packed with information and opportunities for participants to get their hands dirty completing wetlands restoration projects in Kelowna and Vernon. The passion for wetland restoration and protection drew participants from all over BC to the Okanagan for the BC Wildlife Federation’s 13th Wetlands Institute. Participants included Biologists, Landscape Technologists and Architects, Environmental Planners, Coordinators, Educators, Consultants and more. We were joined by members of Environment Canada, the Okanagan Nation Alliance, the Okanagan Collaborative Conservation Program, the Okanagan Basin Water Board, and the Ministry of Forests Lands and Natural Resource Operations, to name a few. We dove right in on the first day with a presentation on wetland restoration techniques from Tom Biebighauser, a wildlife biologist and wetland ecologist. He covered various strategies for wetland restoration and construction. With this information fresh in mind, we headed over to the...

A major milestone has been achieved in Penticton Creek restoration this week, as the showcase project construction and the creek side planting program have been completed. “We have already had several reports of Kokanee navigating upstream with ease along the new creek bed. The difference you can see in Penticton Creek before and after the restoration project is amazing,” said Penticton Mayor Andrew Jakubeit. “The City of Penticton is grateful for the tremendous support of our partners in this initiative, including the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation - their financial support has really made this project possible.” The restoration of Penticton Creek was identified during the 2012 Downtown Plan consultations as among the top priorities for residents and businesses, and has been identified among the long-term Downtown 101 action items to be completed for revitalizing the downtown. Construction started Aug. 4, a historic event that saw concrete pulled out of Penticton Creek for the first time in over 50 years. The showcase project was designed to demonstrate what creek restoration can look like, with the goal of restoring fish habitat, maintaining flood protection and stabilizing creek banks. The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF), provided significant funding for both the planning...

We love to receive photos of our grant recipients' projects, especially when they feature the fish or wildlife benefitting from the work. Below is a series of trail cam photos captured at an HCTF-funded habitat restoration site in the Kootenays. What a fantastic variety of mammals using this trail! First up, the mountain goats: Elk: Deer: Moose: And now for the carnivores, starting with a couple of cougar shots: Bobcat: And a glimpse of a bear: Do you have a great photo of BC's fish or wildlife? Enter our 2015 photo contest! First prize is a $500 VISA gift card. For full contest details, visit out photo contest page .